Stems are used in the wire manufacturing industry to receive and store wire at certain points in the manufacturing process. For example, as wire comes off a manufacturing line, the wire may be paid-off to a stem for storage. Once the wire is stored in the stem, the stem may be transported to a different section of a plant or may even be transported to another plant in a different part of the country. Because a large number of stems may be used and because space in a manufacturing facility comes at a premium, being able to store empty stems in a compact way is desirable.